Toe-spreading retainer.



No. 853,327. PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

, P. WALL. TQE SPREADING RETAINER. APPLIGATION FILED MAY '1. 1906.

INVENTOR *rerns PATRICK WALL, OF ITELAPA, NEW YORK.

PATENT @FhlGE TOE-"SPREADlNG RETABNER= Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1e, 1907.

Application filed May 7, 1906- gerial No. 316,485

1m rovements in Toe-Spreading Retainers, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for the straightening of toes and the curing of bunions on the human foot and more particu larly to a device adapted to be placed inside of the stocking and shoe when worn on the foot, for the purpose of curing deformities of the foot, caused by wearing improperly litting shoes.

The object of my invention is to provide a device that can be worn with comfort by persons desiring for any reason to. normally retain the toes in separated relations; this is highly desirable in the case of corns, bunions, ingrowing toe-nails, over and under-lapping toes, as suchseparetion not only affords re lief but also an opportunity for growth to the normal position and a permanent cure resulting therefrom. In the case of a bunion, for example, upon the metatarsophelangeal great-toejoint, the great-toe being pressed upon by the shoe is forced inward and said joint outward, thus tending to cripple the too for use in walking and forcing it under or over its neighbor relief may be afforded by spreading the over-lapped toes, which. re stores the too to its natural position and re ducos the joint. I

A further object is to provide such a device that yields to the ,movements of the foot in walking and running end employs no metal lie or other non-yielding substance possible of injury to the foot in case of accident.

The devices now in use are inconvenient end uncomfortable to wear and it is now in tended to provide such a device for carrying out the said desired functions and adventsges thut is exceedingly simple and cheep to manufacture and which at the same time is of small weight and site, yet durable, and perfectly accomplishes the objects set forth.

With these general objects in tview, and

' others, which will appear as the nature of the improvement is better understood, the invention consists, substantially, in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of arts, which will be hereinafter fully dc,- scribed, ill tetra-ted in the accompanying drawings, and pointed outin the appended claims. i

While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, and the right is therefore reserved to modify or vary the invention as falls within the spirit and scope thereof.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which the same characters of reference designate similar parts through the several views, Figure 1: represents a. human foot, showing my device as desi ned for use in position between the toes. Fig. 2: is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 3: a perspective view of a modified form using but a sin le tube. Fig. 3 is a similar. view of a furter modiiioatlon showing the single tube construction provided with a top pad. Fig. l: is a top plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 5: is a sectional view taken upon line X-X ofFig. 4:, but showing both tubes filled with cotton. Fig. 6: is a top plan view of e modified form of my invention. Fig. 7: is a sectional view of Fig. 6, taken upon the line YY.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a he nan foot, having five toes or digits, numbered respectively rem the greet-toe 2, 3, i, 5 end 6,the

greet-toe being designated as 2. A bunion 7 is shown upon the metatursophelangeal greet-toe-joint, and my device is shown in position, it portion of the same being in dotted lines, between greet-toe and its neighbor, the second digit, designated 3.

The device is preferably molded out of pliable rubber and en'ibraces a. thin perforated ovehshaped base pad 9, having a hollow tube 10 (Figs. 3, 3) or two hollow tubes 10 end 11 (Figs. 2, 4 to 7) mounted thereon and incircling these perforations. The paid 9 is worn. under the foot and is of any desired urea, the weight of the foot thereupon holding the device in position When properly placed the tube 10 or tubes 10 end 11 hold the toes separated, one from another, and said tube or tubes may be given further rigidity by filling the same with cotton as indicated by 12 in Fig. 5. For use be-- tween the 4th. digit and the 5th. orlittle toe, 1 preferably use the forms shown in Figs. 3, 3 mplbying'lmt one tube, such ll) upon the smaller pad 9.

'lhet thedevieeinay not slip out of place, 1

Flg. 3 shows the emp shown in Fig. 6 and designated as 13 andbeing parallel to the lower ad 9.

I oyment of the up per pad in connection with a single tube.

To furnish the device having difierent degrees'of rigidity, my invention may be made of difleren't kinds of rubber and also of'different materials, the tubes may be filled with suitable matter, and, as shown in Fig. 6 the ends of the tubes may be sealed, changing the same into pneumatic cushions. One or more tubes may be em loyed, preferably in parallel relation to eac other and perpendicular to the su porting pad 9.

In the case 0 a bunion, where the greattoe has been forced under or over the second digit, bending the great-toe joint in such a manner as to make it less effective in walking, my device,whe1 1 placed as shown between the first and second toes prevents any over or'under-lap ing, it forces the first digit back to its nature position for use in walking, and forcin the toe outward the metatarsoalangea greattoe-joint is forced inward. he said joint being returned to its normal position as described, reduces the bunion on the same. The said joint and the bunion thereon, then come less in contact withthe pressure cf the shoe and by holding the toe securely in its natural position, relief and a cure is effected. In a similar manner my device may be used between any two toes 5 and in case of in-growing toe nails, it prevents the toes contacting and rubbing togather, thus preventing further ingrowth -I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersfPatent of the United States, is,

1. The ing a erforated flexible basead, and a exible tu e mounted on the pa "and'encircling the erforation at right angles to the fa'ceof the ass-pad. 1

'2. The herein described article, comp ris 'ing a perforated base-pad, and one or more upwardly-projecting flexible tubes encircling the perforation or perforations of said pad.

ing a flexible base pad, and a flexible tube integral therewith and projecting upwardly therefrom at right angles to the face of the "pad.

'4. The herein described jarticle, comprising a flexible base-pad, one or more flexible tubes integral therewith and projectingupwardly at right angles to the face f the and a top or cover pad for said tube or tu es, the top or cover pad being parallel with the base-pad.

I n testimony whereof aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' PATRICK. WALL. W'itnesses:

, Enw. J. MONE, T. K. BRYANT.

herein described article, com ris- 3. The herein described article, compris- 

